Dropping Anchor

Welcome

It has been some time since I have stopped in and added any content, several have asked why and requested I should continue writing articles. Subject matter can and will change according to what happens to be on my mind that particular day.

Allow me to take the time to welcome you to what I call the "Fireside." It has become a landing place of where I hope you can find some rest and some solitude from the day traffic we have around us, traffic of a maze of roads, people and noise we have come to know as life.

For all intense and purposes I think it fair it is what we all do when we write would you not agree. Our daily lives vary from day to day. The past we know about, what has taken place already has gone and what we are experiencing right now is life we place into words. The inner most feeling as we put words to text is the moment we live in. I think we owe it to ourselves and all those we have in our lives and what the future have in store, do we have a plan, a way to construct a bigger picture. Let's all toss out the anchor and slow things down a little and ponder over what is and what is not so important.

Gather around, nice and close, and help yourself to the refreshments available. Hopefully, you can find something to your taste. Cookies are the snack of choice today, so please cuddle in close. Please if you find something that touches you, bless us all with a comment... once again welcome and know that you are dearly loved at the Fireside.

When Life Stops

Let's touch on the subject today which will change all of us. It is something that becomes very personal and when it happens it will effect many people around us. We hate to talk about it let alone think of it, but as the years have passed I have been a part of it many times, and there is one common thread which is left behind, when we lose a loved one or hear of a terrible loss.

The common thread is a full range of emotions, loss, sadness, fear, anxiety. In some cases anger at not understanding why but I will let you put your own thoughts in the place provided. What is you're feeling at death or loss of someone you love, _____."

No matter what the emotion we will all feel a sadness, and maybe we gain a different prospective of our own inner being at grasping what it may mean to us when it becomes our turn. It is inevitable, we begin the journey of death from the moment we are born. It is something we will all face at the designated time we have been allotted.

My Mom

Source

Small in Staure

On May 19th, my Mom passed away after a long struggle with a combination of complications. It started with being hospitalized on Mother's Day. She had reached the incredible age of 93, very accomplished in all aspects she took on in life.

Her given name was Marie Delphine, to her friends and many acquaintances she became affectionately known as "Tiny." To us as a family she became known as Mom. Married for 63 years before Dad died in 2005. From that day till the last days she had been given she missed her soulmate and husband, yet maintained her endurance to remain Mom to many, even though the last few years were taken from her through dementia. Her smile was always there, her soft touch always ready to all who came into her world.

I was requested to do the Eulogy for Mom as I had been for my Dad. Both were hard to accomplish, how do you complete a collection of life highlights into a short 15 minutes of words. In both cases, I can attest to the fact it was an honour and a privilege for me to have such a task bestowed upon me. We as a family were certainly blessed to have parents who were parents of faith and lived their lives sharing their love openly and affectionately. Not only towards each other but to all who they came in contact with.

More importantly doing their eulogies gave me a new perspective of life and just how precious it is to have life. The last breath I just breathed, the heart that is still beating within me are all wonderful moments we share. We can all enjoy the beauty we see in all directions, but most of all the love I glean from others and the love I can offer to others are the most important assets we can have in life. The greatest gift we have is love, and I treasure it.

Long Road

Source

Accomplishments

Mom's accomplishments in life were many, far too many to list here, but I will draw a brief road map if I may. Born and raised in a faith based home. She was the 10th child of a family of 16 children. Married in 1921. She had and raised 4 children. She lived and was witness to the depression years, watched her new husband go off to war. Lived and enjoyed 30 years of retirement. This is to list just a few of course.

Mom was always artistically inclined and in 1980, she took on the challenge to become a painter. Her first works we thought as a family was incredible. If you look behind Mom in her picture, you can see small portions of some of her work.

She always had a certain amount of guilt about copying other artists such as Greg Olsen, but I accredit it to higher learning from the Masters. She always made certain her work was properly identified as a copy. Below I have placed two photos. One is of Olsen's work, and the other is Moms to give you a comparison of her talents.

Crafts of all sorts were always being worked on. In her final years of work she was an Occupational Therapist at a major hospital, her job was to give long term patients something to occupy their time with. Most times it would be simply sitting and visiting while instructing.

Greg Olsen Original

Source

Mom's Copy

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Some Thoughts

Dropping the Anchor means taking the time to stop and evaluate what and how we are living today. The questions may vary as to where you find yourself, but they all return to the same point in the end. How are we living, spending our time and or what message are we conveying to those around us. Are they of love, hate, anger, bitterness, etc.

We hear daily of the tragedy of death and its ripple effect it has on others. Think of the husband driving to work to earn a living for his family, a loving mother baking for her family. The selfish act of another causing great hardship for many because of a stupid and senseless act of terrorism. How did each of these people spend their last moments?

Life is a gift when you think of it. Each moment a slice in time as brief as a passing breeze. Take a moment to think of the husband as he drives to work and in that split second in time he is caught up in an accident that claims his life. How did he leave home that morning, what were his last words he spoke to his wife and family. What were his final thoughts as he drew his last breath.

Take a moment and visualize this, you have passed away, and you are witness to looking down over your own funeral service. What would people say about you, the life you lived, the love you shared, the passions you had. What if people were to speak the absolute truth about you, would the words be ones of praise or would they be things of another kind.

Many questions come to mind when you are called to do a eulogy for another. You begin to think of your own mortality, the years you have lived. I think it important we all sit back and think of the lives we are living, what impact are we having on one another, what our last moments will be like, will we be ready. Often over the years I have lived on the edge, tempting fate and I am certainly blessed to be here today. Would I have been ready then to part ways with the world, would I have been better prepared than today. No matter where we find ourselves in our journey consider this. We become wiser as each day passes, hopefully through our mistakes we have become better people.

If you are living in the anger and bitterness of the past, then it will surely be your present and should you not change it will be your future. It is you and only you who can change the way you are. The world we live in is very unforgiving, but we can change it so easily by how we view it.

Allow us all to take a few moments and seriously think of this thing we call death. Are we afraid of the unknown, I have come to a place of peace in my faith knowing there is something far greater than what we have here. I chose a long while ago to forgive, to live in the moment and be the best I can be. Of course there are flaws, we all have them, but we can and will change if we are willing to admit them.

I do hope you have a day filled with many blessings and the greatest of all being love. Thank you for stopping and spending time at the Fireside... please know and understand that you are truly loved and valued... attached are the customary hugs I willingly pass to all who receive them.

Comments

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sending

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi aviannovice...

As always great to have you visit... I suppose the question we all have is what will happen in life. I think it important to slow down and reflect. Death is hard for anyone to think of, especially the love ones who are left behind.

Hugs from Canada my Friend

Deb Hirt 3 years agofrom Stillwater, OK

Life certainly is how one reacts to it. This was very well done and says exactly what the future holds for us.

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Jackie... Thanks for the wonderful words and my heart reaches out to you and the many whom have lost the parents. We never should forget them. I like to take peace Mom lives in my spirit and that of the other children. We were truly blessed to have them.

Hugs and Blessings my Friend...

Jackie Lynnley 3 years agofrom The Beautiful South

My mom has been gone four years now and I miss her as much today as I did then; we just can never forget Mommy can we; no matter how old we get or how changed they became. They were still in there behind the blank stares.

What beautiful work she did; that was so wonderful that she had that in her latter years to help her heart and mind. I know there are no good words to say for your loss except to say I know it too and I hope we all will reunite in Heaven soon for our eternity of joy.

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Alicia ... Thanks for the condolences and your kind words. I do think it important we slow down and consider what is important and what is not... Thank for stopping at the Fireside.

Hugs from Alberta

Linda Crampton 3 years agofrom British Columbia, Canada

I am sorry for the loss of your mother, Rolly. I love her painting. It takes talent to copy someone else's painting so well. Your hub contains some very important points for us to remember about our life and our inevitable death.

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Gypsy... thank you for the thoughtful words... I have great comfort in knowing so...

Hugs and Blessings

Gypsy Rose Lee 3 years agofrom Riga, Latvia

Voted up and beautiful. A loving tribute. She's up there beaming the brightest star in the sky. Hugs and blessings to you.

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Bravewarrior... what a kind thing to say to someone... thank you and yes she certainly lived a wonderful full life, we were certainly blessed by having her to guide and direct....

Hugs from Canada

Shauna L Bowling 3 years agofrom Central Florida

Rolly, I'm so sorry you lost your mother. She certainly lived a long, fulfilling life. If you are any indication, she was a wonderful mother and teacher. You have been blessed.

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi CrisSp.... always special to have you come for a visit my friend. Yes she is finally at peace as is the family. We had both Mom and Dad until they were 93, I was so very fortunate to have been born into this family.

Hugs and Blessings and love from Alberta...

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi imkarn23 ... Thank you for the kind words and comment. You are always welcome at the Fireside... being a Canadian I know you like the warmth so an extra log has been tossed on and yes you can have the down filled comforter, maybe some laced hot chocolate on the side...

Hugs my friend

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Faith.... Thank you as always for stopping and saying hello. Loss is a part of life and I do think it important we stop and consider our time and just how we use it....

Blessings and Many Hugs

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Always... Great to see as well. It has been awhile but somewhat back anyway. I am so sorry you have lost your Sister but pleased to hear you have peace she is free of pain and knowing where she is.

Blessings and Hugs

CrisSp 3 years agofrom Sky Is The Limit Adventure

Hello Rolly! Pleased to see you back in the fireside. Again, I'm so sorry about your loss but as we all know, mama Marie Delphine is now in heaven flying with the angels...peacefully at home.

Thank you for this good night read.

Love from the sky~

Karen Silverman 3 years ago

Oh, my dear friend. I am a shoulder whenever you need one. I adore your life perspective and hope to emulate you when times are tough.

HUGSxx

Faith Reaper 3 years agofrom southern USA

Hello Dear Rolly,

I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on life and death here. I lost my sweet mother in 2012. You are so right about us needing to slow down and take time out to live and love those who we are blessed to have in our life. You were blessed with wonderful parents.

I know they are proud of their faithful son.

Hugs and love,

Faith Reaper

Ruby Jean Fuller 3 years agofrom Southern Illinois

Hello Rolly, so good to see you again. Sorry for your loss. I lost my sister Eva this week, still grieving but happy she is now pain free. She was a firm believer in God and heaven. I know her spirit is there with loved ones who have passed on. I hope to be there too when my time here on earth has ended, until then, i live in anticipitation of a better tomorrow. Thank you for coming back to see all your hubber friends.

Author

Rolly A Chabot 3 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Billy... certainly do understand and Mom as well had lived a wonderful life and many were blessed to know her. Losing a parent can be hard and yet it is a blessing to live to see a life well lived...

Hugs from Alberta

Bill Holland 3 years agofrom Olympia, WA

A beautiful tribute my friend, and you have my condolences of course. I lost my mother in 2003, and although it was a sad time, she had lived a good life and left a wonderful legacy, so there was celebration as well. I'm sure you understand that.